Ranji Trophy: Delhi take first-innings lead despite Mohit Sharma hat-trick

After piling up a modest 278 all out in their first innings, the onus was completely on the Delhi bowlers to keep Haryana in check and the likes of Sumit Narwal (3/43), Varun Sood (3/20) and Navdeep Saini (2/33) did a remarkable job to bowl out in 66.2 overs and give the visitors the crucial 90-run lead.

For Haryana, Himanshu Rana top-scored with a 135-ball 80. He struck eight boundaries in the process.

At stumps, Delhi were seven for no loss in their second innings with Unmukt Chand batting on 6 and skipper Gautam Gambhir on 1.

Earlier resuming their first innings at the overnight score of 278 for seven, Delhi managed to add just 20 runs before being bowled out.

Centurion Virender Sehwag failed to add to his overnight score of 147 as he edged a Mohit Sharma delivery to Nitin Saini behind the stumps.

Once Sehwag departed, it was just a formality for Haryana to wrap up the Delhi innings.

Mohit Sharma was the pick of the bowlers for Haryana with figures of four for 46 runs, while veteran Joginder Sharma scalped three wickets giving away 39 runs.

Puneet Yadav (90) missed out on a hundred for Rajasthan but the hosts were firmly in the driver’s seat after reducing Punjab to 140 for five on the second day of their Ranji Trophy Group B cricket match in Jaipur on Tuesday.

Brief Scores: Delhi: 278 & 7 for no loss in 3 overs. Haryana: 188 all out in 66.2 overs (Himanshu Rana 80;Varun Sood 3/20)

Rajasthan in driver’s seat against Punjab

Rajasthan piled up 433 runs after resuming the day 295 for four.

Chasing a big total, Punjab were soon in trouble as Deepak Chahar, Pankaj Singh and Aniket Choudhary struck in quick succession to reduce the visitors to 40 for 3 at tea.

Gurkeerat Maan (70 not out) was rock solid from one end but the visitors are still 393 runs behind as paceman Pankaj Singh took three wickets for 56 runs. Giving Gurkeerat Maan company was Sidharth Kaul (0).

Vidarbha reach 129 for four on day two

Despite an unbeaten half-century by Ganesh Satish, Vidarbha were struggling at 129 for four against Odisha in a rain-curtailed second day of their Ranji Trophy Group B cricket match in Sambalpur on Tuesday.

After the opening day of the match was washed out yesterday, only 56 overs could be bowled today.

At the close of play on day two, Ravi Jangid (5 not out), was giving Satish company at the crease.

Brief scores:
Vidarbha 1st inngs: 129 for four in 56 overs (Ganesh Satish 62 not out; Basant Mohanty 2/29)

Saurashtra in trouble against Maharashtra

Maharashtra batsman Ankit Bawane scored a century before his bowlers picked up three wickets quickly to leave Saurashtra struggling at 94 for 3 on the second day of Ranji Trophy Group B cricket match in Rajkot on Tuesday. Maharashtra made 519 in their first innings.

In-form Sheldon Jackson was batting on (57) and giving him company was Vishal Joshi (9) at the end of second day’s play at SCA Stadium Khandheri.

Brief Scores:
Maharashtra: 519 in 150. 5 overs (Ankit Bawne 124, Chirag Khurana 69; Kamlesh Makwana 5/120)
Saurashtra: 94 for 3 (Sheldon Jackson batting 57, Vishal Joshi batting on 9)